Varsity soccer team following their 3-1 win against Alexander Central. Photo Cred: Mason Gover
Mason Gover
This season, Watauga High's Men's Soccer Team has been more determined than ever to give their all on the field. So far, the team remains undefeated in their conference, boasting an impressive record of 16 wins, 2 draws, and only 3 losses. The season has been filled with triumphs and cherished memories.
“The season right now has been pretty great,” said Ben Myers, Varsity team captain. “We've got a good record. You know, the team's been working well together. We're really fluid with each other, we all know each other well, and we're all friends. It all helps out on the field and leads to big wins.”
The team's amazing record was not all based on skill, however, but also from years of trust developed through working together. This strong bond exemplifies how the soccer team has grown and transformed into a family.
“Compared to other teams, who just go out to the field and play for themselves, we care about each other, we're all friends,” said Myers.
One of their main goals has been to preserve the family they've built, no matter the challenges they face.
“We all got together before the season and talked about our team goals and individual goals,” said Myers. “We just want to play together, not necessarily for ourselves, but for the team. Playing for the team leads to achieving your own goals.”
To keep this goal intact, the team often gets together outside of the season to brush up on their skills and reconnect. One of the things they do off-season is take a team trip to the beach.
“I enjoy our team bonding experiences,” said Myers. “We go to the beach during the summer for a week and do a bunch of soccer stuff there.”
However, one of their biggest challenges this year was recovering from Hurricane Helene. The hurricane struck Boone for a couple of days, leaving the town in shambles once the waters receded. It wreaked havoc, eroding roads and causing houses to be crushed by fallen trees or swept away by massive flooding.
Due to the devastation from hurricane Helene, all of Boone was left without power or internet, forcing Watauga County to cancel school. With schools closed for nearly a month and residents lacking power, water, and internet, students turned to one another to help rebuild their community. This effort temporarily paused most fall sports, including the soccer season.
“Our team's known for our athleticism, so the hurricane definitely got us out of peak shape. The week after the hurricane, we did lots of running to try and get back into shape,” said Myers. “Every other team played during Hurricane Helene, but we had a disadvantage and we had to get back into it.”
Despite this massive setback, both the Junior Varsity and Varsity soccer teams quickly bounced back. They proved to the rest of the conference that no matter how hard they get knocked down, Watauga will always rise and come back twice as strong.
Committed to giving their all in every game, they are determined to face the rest of the season without letting anything stand in their way. Together, as a family, they will tackle every challenge that comes their way, embodying the true spirit of resilience and showing everyone what it truly means to be part of a team.
Comentarios